Heres the Player review from Sunday, all the player ratings would be 7/7 so lets leave them and just go for some comments on the performances during the Hunskelping Extraordinaire

Gordon
Made some good saves, especially at the start of first half from Holt. Suffered the wrath of Brendan however thanks to some terrible kick outs, both in decision ( straight up the park to no-one) or high wide and not so handsome. When he has the ball in his hands and looking up the pitch, I often think he still has the mentality of playing for a team up against it rather than the mentality of a player for the Champions who should know what plan to immediately execute rather than taking such a long time to release the ball.

PC Lustig
What a guy. Lustig shows folk like Leigh Griffiths how to balance playing with playfulness. He had a fine enough game and at one point pretended to talk to the much heralded Jamie Murphy within his shorts pocket. Strike 1. Then of course there was the goal celebration, Lustig runs 40 yards to embrace with James Forrest and goes straight for a Policeman’s helmet and everyone’s celebrations gets ranked up to 11. Cue Rangers fans actually complaining to the Police! Strike 2.

You are simply marvellous Mik, just marvellous. Never change.

Kristoffer Ajer.
A steady enough game but panicked at times and played the wrong ball or got caught on the ball here and there. Still young of course and will be learning with every pressure game. Maybe not the greatest game but still a good season and look forward to him coming on even more next season.

Dedryk Boyata
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Wow. just Wow. A brilliant performance which had every Celtic fan nodding in appreciation. Hard tackles and Hard shoulders. brilliant defending throughout with perfect placement of a solid frame coupled with clearing headers and great runs towards and away from goal. Poor Jason Cummings never got a sniff and looked like a poor wee lost lamb at times and looked ready to burst out crying.

To pick out one moment, The sliding tackle to not only stop a counter attack but to also perfectly set up James Forrests goal was sheer Paul Elliotesque. Yeah, that good!

Kieran Tierney
Ive said it before, I dont think its been the greatest of Seasons for our young superstar but this was him back to his very very best. KT was charging up and down the park, slipping past Huns with a sublime dropped shoulder whenever he felt like it and driving the ball towards goal or passing inside and outside with aplomb. A brilliant performance which had me begging for a goal to wrap it up perfectly for our star. Maybe next time.

Olivier NtCham
Currently at Celtic we are rather blessed. In the centre of midfield we have 2 utter class acts. We have Broony of course ( more to come) but we now also have Olivier the Champ.

A true thoroughbred of a football player. His composure under pressure is a joy to watch and he simply turns, drops a shoulder, or blocks any attempts to relieve him of the ball. Then his ability to run and pass with perfection is even more to appreciate, let alone his hard shots on goal to appreciate.

A brilliant capture ( You get what you pay for? – Ed) who is loving the hoops and is really flying as we head to the end of a great first season.

Scott Brown
The Player of the Year. Just controls the game as he wants to. Takes the ball, moves the ball. Makes an opponent or opponents look stupid. Lets the ref know how he feels and protects his team-mates constantly. Just a brilliant Captain and a brilliant Celt. Rangers keep trying to “get at him” and dont even get close to the guy.

Maybe had a few bad passes on Sunday but overall ran the show with Olivier and just laughs at the guys in blue chasing shadows all around him.

As long as we have Broony, then there will be no contest, its that simple and thats how important he is to our side.

James Forrest
What a smile is on my face as I type these words. I absolutely loved that goal by wee Jamesie. His first against the team in blue.

What a run and what a shot.

After a little quiet period in the game for Celts, he put the Gers on the slab with that goal after Odsonnes great second, which Forrest also set up with a great through pass.

Forrest fair tormented Andy HalliHalliHalliHalliday and had a great game. The winger was everywhere ( watch him swipe expecting to score at MacGregors goal too!) to mark a great season in which he has really stepped up with 17 goals.

To put it in perspective, Forrest has been so good that people dont even ask “Why isnt Roberts playing” any more.

Tom Rogic
Sometimes a player comes along that makes you just stand with your chin falling and your mouth sits wide open. Tom Rogic is that guy. The way he can take a ball and turn and twist and retain possession whilst 3 opponents try and hack him is unbelievable.

So composed, yet so focused, even willing to charge back to regain possession. Rogis truly is the real deal and Rangers have no answer to his skill and speed of thought. The casual placement to score the 4th ( that’s goals in 4 games in row against “them”) as folk screamed all around at the referee, just summed the coolest guy in the Hoops up.

For all the cries of “we want blood sweat and snotters” from desperate rangers fans, we have genuine footballing talent gathered from around the world…says it all really.

Callum MacGregor

From forgotten Squad man, to celebrated true home grown hero..

MacGregor was deemed “ordinary” and just a run of the mill utility man…that was when folk didn’t know any better, in fact he is the opposite. The guy is the real deal. A runner, a tackler, a presser, a passer, a player, a scorer. Hes our own wee McIniesta.

We get told that we have to regale in the wonder that is foreign stars or rejoice in amazing one off free kick goals here and there, and all the while, there is our own home grown star out there playing under the headlines.

Hail Hail to the man giving a minimum 7 out of 10 every week and giving everything he can every week, regardless of new instructions or his allocated position on the park.

MacGregor is our Mr Committed to the cause.

MacGregor is now a genuine first team star often giving sublime performances full of skill, drive and energy and Sundays game he showed all these and of course his ability to score, especially against “them”. I dont mean to be harsh but we wont miss Stuart Armstrong if he goes, but by God how would we miss Callum MacGregor aka “Oor Hunskelper” at our club.

Odsonne Edouard
I sighed when Brendan made big excuses about not signing more strikers back in pre-season. We only had 3 strikers and Brendans “Upset the balance” excuse seemed a tad weak and I hoped we wouldnt get caught out as the season progressed.

Cue injuries to Moussa Dembele who wouldnt make it on Sunday and cue sighs and frowns from Celtic fans.

Would Griff get the nod and make his mark?

No…Step forward Odsonne Edouard.

The question was “Could the loannee with limited game time impress in this big match.”

The answer was “WHAT A PERFORMANCE!”

Size wise Edouard looks somewhere between Griff and Dembele but ask the Rangers defence and I reckon they will feel they were up against a brick wall given the battering handed out by Edouard. The 2 goals were taken with great composure, the set up for MacGregors goal was sublime and Russell Martin and the Rangers defenders will have nightmares for quite a while.

Understandably knackered by the end and received a well deserved standing ovation as he departed. Odsonne has talked of wanting to stay but with a caveat of “lets wait and see”…hopefully he gets a good run towards season end and we then see him established in first team next year if Dembele departs in the summer. Simply another class act.

Subs
Hendry – On for injured Lustig – did okay bar one calamity but nowt to defend against really.
Sinclair – On for Rogic – tried a few runs and dribbles but needs longer in a game to make an impact
Griff – On for Odsonne – had one run thorugh which should have been a goal but that was about it really.

Manager
Sometimes all you can do is stand up, put your hands together and say “Thank you Brendan, truly absolutely wonderful”.
The team came out and seized the game by the throat and how impressive is Brendans man management to constantly raise his team against our apparent biggest foe.

This was a total destruction and a sheer joy to experience.

The man is outstanding in delivering when it really matters, at least domestically. Give him some cash to address European needs and lets really see what happens when we raise the quality levels all over Brendan’s side.

The man has earned the right, time for the Board to back him all the way.

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Tim Buffy

Desi, I have to disagree with your assessment of Craig Gordon. For far too long now we’ve been staring through cracks in our fingers at him playing kamikaze passes to defenders who have opponents up their arses and are then forced to play suicide passes back to him. Inevitably we end up in all sorts of bother deep in our own half. I noticed early on in Sunday’s game on that Gordon was kicking the ball long where Odsonne (what a performance from him) either won his fair share of headers, held it up or at least gave their defenders… Read more »

Tim Fair point on Rogic. regards Gordon, I appreciate safety first and all that but Rodgers was right in front of me going crazy every time Gordon wasted possession rather than risk danger. The long kicks may have sometimes found Edouard 70 yards up the park (alone) but Gordon was meant to kick it wide to half way line where Lustig was positioned alone to knock down to midfield and freeing Edoaurd up to be further up park ready for service. The whistling from Rodgers to try and get Gordon attention would shatter many an eardrum! I think your examples… Read more »

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2 years ago

Tim Buffy

Take your point after all you were there and I was watching it on the box. But I still can’t stand all that fannying around at the back.
But let’s not quibble – it was one of THE great days

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2 years ago

REbus67

Desi,

I agree with your assessment of Gordon. Great shot stopper but terrible distribution. Against reasonable teams that will create problems for the defence. Bain is better at distributing the ball but probably not as good at shot stopping.

Gordon’s punt up the centre of the park is particularly inept when Griff is playing.

Rebus

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2 years ago

Noelskytrot

Desi, I’m bitterly disappointed that the two players who got the biggest cheers from the Celtic supporters aren’t included, Halliday and Morelos. Though slightly bizarre, I thought it was really funny. 9’s alround for every player.

One of my favourite Paul Elliot memories is him sliding in on Hateley…ball and man won!

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2 years ago

Monti

Calm down….

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2 years ago

Monti

Olivier Ntcham was like, just fucking magic!

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2 years ago

REbus67

Monti,

Agreed 100%

Rebus

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2 years ago

REbus67

Euphoria should not be dampened so just ignore the following. I see only two negatives from our classic performance on Sunday. The first has already been mentioned…Gordon’s distribution which was either an inept punt up the park, or a too high punt to his right side. The second slight negative was Sinclair’s performance which was poor. It seems that defenders have recognised that he does not like physical contact. When they use it, he folds either surrenders the ball, or falls down. What a change from last year when he looked the complete forward….scoring, assisting and pulling defences all over… Read more »

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2 years ago

Yoker Bhoy

Totally agree on both counts Rebus (Gordon and Sinclair). I wouldn’t be surprised if Sinclair was to leave us this summer. He certainly won’t be over the moon about warming the bench but his form has been consistently poor for a good while now.

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2 years ago

Peter

Agree totally ref Boyata, his best game for a while. Noticed a few just played safe into touch, reckon he’s been told to just clear the decks, and he’s a lot better for it.
Solid 7 indeed.

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2 years ago

Monti

He should still be the first out the door in the summer!

Be ruthless!

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2 years ago

BJF

Boyata is clesrly the best central defender we have binning him would just be stupid. Ajer and Hendry will grow but neither have Bitata’s pace.

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2 years ago

alan

the highlight of the whole match was the reception afforded to Morelos. to have the whole stadium going tonto with delight, seeing you coming on, must be some blow to your confidence.

if any Hun did not get the message before that moment, they get it now.

RT @YourWullie Celtic's Jimmy Johnstone celebrates with his team-mates after scoring their first goal against Dukla Prague during the European Cup Semi-Final 1st leg at Celtic Park in Glasgow on 12th April 1967.
Celtic won 3-1.
Photo by Paul Popper pic.twitter.com/bhGPdZzDhm

RT @MrChuckD I do think this society needs to re-examine USA police brutality issues AND cases as far as 25 yrs back like some folk go after Nazi war criminals . Some have gotten away Scot free and inquiring movements should KNOW their current status occupations and thoughts to go Forward... pic.twitter.com/JvwnIed9bQ